Benefit Debt

leeward30

Hi All,

I wondering if someone can help me.

My wife used to claim tax credit and other benefits over the years. In her previous job she had an attachment of earnings for a debt, they sent through of 38k.

We asked for a breakdown of the debt many times but we were not provided with one.

My wife has another job now and a lot lower wage and they are chasing this debt again.

Yet again we asked multiple times for a breakdown of the debt but never got one.

When my wife rings up they just say you owe for this and that but it is nowhere near 38k and they won't give us details of the rest of the debt.

We are looking for some advice about what to do because no way do we owe 38k and without a breakdown, we would be silly to pay any of it.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Thanks in Advance

Dean000000

Who does she owe? Hmrc?

poppy12345

leeward30 wrote: »

My wife used to claim tax credit and other benefits over the years.

What "other" benefits has she claimed in the past and why? A debt doesn't just disappear, it needs to be paid back. £38,000 is a lot of money to owe, is this all from claiming benefits? More information is needed to be able to help.

Darksparkle

Who is chasing the debt? HMRC? DWP?

It doesn't sound like just a tax credit debt as they don't do DEA yet.

leeward30

Hi All,

Thanks for your replies.

The letter is from CCS Collect

Due to: Department for Work and Pensions.

We tried to set a payment plan but wanted to see why we owed 38k in the first place.

They were quite rude on the phone and said my wife owes it and like I said she asked for a breakdown of the debt.

Also, after making payments from her previous job the balance has not gone down.

We have been asking for a break down for over a year. Is there any way to make them gives us a breakdown?

No dates either.

Many Thanks for your help in advance.

calcotti

Try speaking direct to DWP Debt management rather than the debt collector. Ask them to explain what the debt is for and how it has accrued.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-debt-management-performance-data/dwp-debt-management-customer-service-standards
Telephone: 0800 916 0647

elsien

Stop trying to phone them and send a prove it letter.

leeward30

My wife just informed me that CCS Collect told her yesterday she has to contact them in 5 days to make a payment deal with them otherwise they will start court proceedings.

Can we still send the prove it letter?

calcotti

The debt collector is simply charged with collected the debt. They will not know what lies behind the debt. To understand how the debt has arisen you need to contact DWP as per my previous post.

Afraid_of_Kittens

£38k debt from te DWP - has she ever been prosecuted fr benefit fraud?